Establishing and leading new teams
This year, service leaders will be making informed decisions about staffing arrangements to support the quality and continuity of education and care for children as they transition to new environments. Decisions about team groupings are informed by critically reflecting upon educator experience, skills, dynamics and the developmental and theoretical knowledge about specific age groupings that each educator brings.
As service leaders contemplate the configuration of their staffing teams, they may think about opportunities for their team’s professional growth through considering how experienced and knowledgeable staff may support, guide and mentor new educators and teachers. Quality Area 4 of the National Quality Standard reflects the importance of challenging, learning from and recognising each other’s strengths, knowledge and skills in education and care practice.
When considering staffing teams, service leaders would provide opportunities to contribute to the decision making as well as consider educators and teachers’:
- experience, skills and knowledge
- diversity
- personalities and values
- relationships established with children and families.
It is also important to consider mentoring and coaching for new educators and teachers, or new members of a team. Having open, collaborative discussions will help identify team members who are interested in participating in a mentoring and/or coaching relationship, and what professional development is needed to make this a successful experience for all involved.
Succession planning is also important to plan availability of relief or replacement educators, for example, for long service leave, maternity/paternity leave or planned educator retirement.
Cathy Bavage is a highly valued and knowledgeable education and care professional, who has made a significant contribution to the Family Day Care sector for over 38 years. Cathy has been an advocate for quality practice and recognised for her exceptional leadership and generosity in sharing her insights and innovations.
As Cathy steps away from her role at Wynnum Family Day Care, educators (past and present), coordinators, academics, researchers and government, sector, community and FDC leaders from across Australia recently came together to recognise and celebrate Cathy’s contribution and to acknowledge the significant impact of her work.
Cathy has shared her insights into her leadership in our We Hear You Blog.